Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Art tips by Aaron Blaise

I found my AM mentor shared this online. I think this is very useful tips for learning about ART. I love it! Inspiring!



His tips sharing - http://spungella.blogspot.com/2013/11/art-tips-by-aaron-blaise.html

His Blog - http://aaronblaiseart.blogspot.com/

Thanks JD for sharing this on his blog.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

HOPE


*Please listen to this soundtrack!

I like this movie Man of Steel. I like the idea that the director wants to deliver: Hope. It is talking about how Clark wants to find out more about himself. His real home, real parents, purpose of living. Even when i do more research on their score making from Hans Zimmer. You can see how they truly want to work out the theme for the movie.

Hopes will lead us to live our life!

Recently i feel the same thing as i realize from the movie. What is the purpose of living? Making money? Build a home? or anything else? For me, now i will say to seek for happiness. How to make myself happy? I got my love one, home, car, job. But i must love what i am doing, my daily routine. I think i love animation very much. I want to animate. I have a dream that is not achieved yet. I want to have an accomplishment - Work on a production that i feel proud of it.

I wish to make it happens before any distraction comes to me. I want to enrich my life story. That was my own promise when i was young. I want to make it happens! Fight it!

My 11 second club Sept Entry


I have spent two weeks times for animating. But i think it is most likely taking around 8 days for me to animate this shot. First i know the most challenging one for me is the IDEA. This is my weakness. I need more time for idea brainstorming.

Lipsync is one of my challenge as well. I always need to practice more on it to get a better result for a well match and interesting lipsync animation.

Well i got 17th out of 128. It considers not bad. But it is out of my expectation. I wish to get top 10. Anyway i will keep on fighting on it. Let's fight for it!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Jamaal Bradley Wise Say


While I was teaching and after, my students and a few other people asked the same question a lot.

" ...Does it take a long time to break into the business and what are the steps..."?

-There is no one answer to that question.  Obviously hard work and dedication are going to take you a long way, but there is going to be other factors that come in to play. Timing is a big part of the equation and you have to know what jobs to take and how to utilize every minute while you are there.  I knew I wanted to work in features but I never neglected my duties as an animator at the game studios.  I tried to apply the same level of work to the game studios as I do in feature.  Believe me, there are animators that can animate circles around a lot of guys in feature film.  I worked at the office and when I got home, because I wanted to be better.  There are many people still doing this.

The big thing for me is not forgetting that.  If you busted your hump in work and after work, keep doing the same.  Granted the hours you spend working at home may be considerably less, but that is the thing that got you to where you are.  Take some time to continue working on your craft.  Teachers still go to lectures and workshops to improve on their skills, singers still practice so that their voice is always in good condition, and even good mechanics learn how to work on the latest engines so they are always on top of their game.

If you remember to do the things that got you to where you need to be, you will be successful for a while.

Remember to balance it!!

Link - http://www.jamaalbradley.com/2012/02/just-keep-going.html

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Importance of Poses! Dynamic Poses!



Poses reveal character's personality.


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How dynamic the poses to show the power of the JUMP! 








You can imagine how strong the animation could be if all these poses are blending smoothly.






Just the difference of the eye brows can sell different emotion.


Just a sleepy pose. But you can see how they play with different options to explore which is the BEST one!


Most of the sketches are from Cedric Hohnstadt Illustration. Thanks!


Attitudes & Acting Beats

http://splatfrog.com/videos-2/attitudes-sample-clip-2/



Saturday, June 29, 2013

Pixar’s Story Process



Great lecture about create story

Animation Is a Never-ending Process




Animation Is a Never-ending Process, but What Are a Few Things Animators Are Expected to Know?

That's a great question!

You're definitely right that this is a never-ending journey of education. It encompasses darn near every conceivable aspect of life in one way or another, so there is just no way to "know everything" about animation.

However, there are certainly many things that any studio would expect an incoming animator to know. This would change a bit, depending on the level of animator they are hiring (they would certainly expect a much broader level of ability from an incoming Senior Animator than a new Junior Animator), but for the most part, they would be looking for different levels of experience within the same general skill set.

I would say that any animator looking for work should be expected to understand the infamous 12 principles of animation and how they apply to the medium that animator is working in. But that's only the beginning. In addition, the animators should be expected to understand how those principles all work together and interrelate. How they come together to explain and decipher "body mechanics" in general. How the concepts of internal and external "force" create momentum, and how those forces are more important to the creation of a dynamic pose than the actual body parts or "form" is.

Any professional animator should know how the body works. Period. What moves what, and WHY. Not just that the hips shift this way or the shoulders shift that way when you're lifting this or throwing that, but WHY those shifts and rotations are happening. This is key to being able to create these movements on your own, and understand how to fix your work when you get into a pinch and something just doesn't feel right.

Any junior animator should also have some understanding of acting, subtext, how to use blinks to create thought process and emotion, and how to communicate an idea through clarity, posing, and timing.

Finally, I think it's safe to assume that any studio looking for animators would expect them to be eager, easy to work with, and hungry to learn. For me, that's just as big a prerequisite as understanding arcs or overlapping action!

Hope that helps! I know that sounds like a lot of stuff to know, and in some ways I'm only just scratching the surface with the basics here, but as you say, learning animation IS a life-long journey, and you have to have a strong and solid and WIDE foundation of knowledge upon which to build.

For me, the stuff above is that basic foundation, and it's all essential stuff.

*Found it from student sharing notes. Thanks!

What makes a HERO?


Good to study story build up.

Monday, May 27, 2013

From Animation School to the Real World.

Please click the link here.

Nate Lane - Layout Reel - April 2013

You will know how to use camera to tell a story. Layout always is not a simple job! Great camera works in a film can fully support and enhance the storytelling.

Although all the animation is rough but it still can tell a story.


Disney's Planes Takes Flight

It looks similar like Car from Pixar. Although a lot of people might think this is boring and not exciting for watching. But i think sometimes story comes to a simple format might be working. This one let me feel that is a plane's adventure for his life. It is related to our life. We might have a common experience like this.

Well i am looking forward to this! I believe there are lot of efforts for the camera works.

*A lot of kids will love this because of the planes toys!


Character Design Reference





Please click here for more!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Pixar movie: UP


I like this movie very much. I appreciate the effort from Pixar on how great they create such a good story for this movie. Personally i feel so touching for the love story about Mr. Fredrickson. A sweet couple that i love so much.

A square shape design for Mr. Fredrickson. Stubborn, traditional for him. Rounded shape design for his wife, Ellie. Sweet, happy, positive as her personality. What a nice contrast set up for both characters.

The second part of this clip is the most memorable sequence for me in this movie. Although Mr. Fredrickson finally got what he wants. But he is still lonely, unhappy. Stubborn lead him to reach his destination but he has nothing although he made it. He looks back the album "Adventure Book" from his wife. All the photos are their happy memories. They always smile. What Mr. Fredrickson wants eventually? Happiness.

"Thanks for the adventure - Now go have a new one!" This really touches me.

Sometimes we are getting busy and busy to achieve something we want. But we always forget the most precious things are already beside us. Your love one! Wife, family, friends...

Please stop for a while when you keep rushing for your life. Think what you want. Appreciate them if they were there for you. 


My Animation Showreel

2013 Animation Showreel!


Hi everyone! I am back!

I have a long time didn't update my blog since i study Animation Mentor Master Class. Now, finally i have finished the class. I will update my shot progress later to share with my friends. Hope you guys enjoy it!


Sunday, March 31, 2013

Squeeze Animation Studios


Squeeze Animation Studios in Canada.

http://www.squeezestudio.com/showreels.html  Check out more on their website!

Bluff


 http://bluffsite.tv/65019/579946/featured-work/meeting
Animated Short by Bluff.

Check out their animation works.

Booty Call



ANOMALIA LABS: We have dedicated our efford to define a specific method of training and helping each other as animation artists to support our long term professional growth and creative inspiration. ANOMALIA LABS is a training concept of professional Work and Study experience. ANIMATED IN 10 DAYS. STORY: Pirate Babinský is on his quest to rob a ship, whose deck hides a great treasure.

51 Great Animation Exercises

Quickest way to improvement? Practice.


http://www.animatorisland.com/51-great-animation-exercises-to-master/

Thursday, March 14, 2013

AnimSchool Min's character animation demoreel



It is superb good quality Animation Showreel. I love it so so much!! Looking forward to his upcoming works.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling


These rules were originally tweeted by Emma Coates, Pixar’s Story Artist. Number 9 on the list - When you’re stuck, make a list of what wouldn’t happen next – is a great one and can apply to writers in all genres.
  1. You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.
  2. You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.
  3. Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now rewrite.
  4. Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.
  5. Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.
  6. What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?
  7. Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
  8. Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.
  9. When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.
  10. Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.
  11. Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.
  12. Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.
  13. Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.
  14. Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it.
  15. If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.
  16. What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.
  17. No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.
  18. You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.
  19. Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.
  20. Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d’you rearrange them into what you DO like?
  21. You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?
  22. What’s the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Good Advice - What If Money Was No Object?

I think this is very inspiring for me. I would like to share it once i watch this video. Hope you guys like it.


Oscar Winner!





Both are my favorite films. Congrats!!